Penn State men's basketball head coach Ed DeChellis said his team is focusing on itself and trying to generate some positive results at this point in the season.
But, he did admit he has tried every single tactic he knows in an attempt to motivate his guys.
And with one week of regular season play remaining, the Nittany Lions have the opportunity to spoil the NCAA tournament hopes of two 'bubble' teams: Iowa and Indiana.
The Hawkeyes and Hoosiers are two of six Big Ten teams still battling for position to earn a bid to be a part of March Madness.
With so many potential tourney teams --including the country's top two -- the Big Ten is shedding the preseason myth that the conference was sub-par.
"We have a great league, a lot of worthy teams have played really well," DeChellis said. "[People said] it's a down year, and all of a sudden, the Big Ten continues to shine. It wouldn't shock me if we got six or seven teams in the tournament. We've got several worthy teams out there."
With Ohio State and Wisconsin already locked in as high seeds, six other teams are jammed in the middle, all within two games of each other in the standings. Illinois, Michigan State, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan and Purdue all have the opportunity, over the next two weeks, to either play their way into or out of the big dance.
"All of the teams in the group in the middle have work to do," said Iowa head coach Steve Alford, whose team plays Penn State tomorrow. "None of us can sit here and say we know exactly what's going to happen. We have a lot of work to do."
Alford noted that in the past, whenever the Big Ten has been top-four in the conference power ratings and had at least one team near the top of the polls, the league has traditionally received a total of five to seven tournament berths.
That said, he is not comfortable just sitting on his laurels. He wants to make the NCAA tournament selection committee's job a little easier by winning out and making his Hawkeyes a no-brainer invite.
"The teams on the bubble can go either way, so you have to finish strong," Alford said. "This isn't the time of the year when you don't make the most of your opportunities."
Columbus, Big Ten Titletown
With Sunday's victory against Wisconsin, Ohio State clinched its second consecutive Big Ten regular season championship.
Coupled with Buckeye conference titles in football and women's basketball, Ohio State is the first school ever to hold all three outright championships at the same time -- the Buckeyes captured the same three trophies last season, but football split with Penn State.
With champions in the 'big three' sports, Ohio State has separated itself and become the premier Big Ten athletic program.
"It speaks volumes to Ohio State and what's been able to be accomplished here over the last couple of years is really unique," Ohio State men's basketball head coach Thad Matta said. "Winning a conference championship in any sport, people don't truly understand how hard that is to do and to have it for two straight years is really amazing. This place is incredible. I'm blessed to be a part of it."
